Wizarding Biology
by Blaire L. Peterson
Summary: This is a Daily Prophet Science article explaining how muggle-borns and squibs occur.
1. Wizarding Biology Part 1

_Daily Prophet April 27th, 1996_

_Science Section_

A Report of the Inherited Wizarding Trait and its Apparent Sporadic Appearance and Disappearance

By: Athalia Thumberdean

In the Wizarding world a majority of the witches and wizards are the offspring of at least one magical parent. However, there a several witches and wizards who are the offspring of two Muggles known as muggleborns and in reverse there are also several offspring of Wizarding parents who don't posses magical ability known as Squibs. How is this possible as for the most part magical ability seems to be an inherited trait? To answer this we most first understand the concept of genetics, the process of passing down traits during reproduction, and look at how the wizard genetic make-up differs from muggles.

First off, all living things are made of cells and inside the nucleus, or brain, of the cell there are chromosomes which are made up of genes. Genes are instructions for how the organisms is to look, for how to make essential organs, if the organism is to have any hereditary diseases, and in the case of wizards how to create humans with magical abilities. These chromosomes are extremely small and can only be seen with a very powerful microscope* or a strong Magnification charm and although the difference is miniscule, it has been discovered that Wizard chromosomes are on average ever so slightly larger than Muggle chromosomes. Why? Because they contain the chemical instructions that separates Muggles from wizards.

Another important thing to understand before we can answer the question is how the traits instructed in the genes can be passed down to offspring. All humans, wizards included have 46 chromosomes or 23 pairs of chromosomes; 23 come from the offspring's mother pair up with 23 from the offspring's father. To be a wizard the offspring must have the extra installment in all 46 chromosomes. How is this possible then in half-bloods and other mixed ancestry offspring. Well, in the extra wizarding part of the chromosomes there is instructions to do something (that does not always need to be done with "purebloods") while the offspring is being conceived. This is to create copies of itself and send it over to the Muggle chromosomes. The additional parts will attach themselves to the Muggle chromosomes causing them to become magical chromosomes and making the offspring a witch or wizard.

This explains how half-bloods and others of mixed ancestry are able to perform magic, but what about Muggle-Borns and Squibs? The cause of Muggle-Borns and Squibs is mutation. Mutation might sound like a derogatory and insulting explaination, but all it really means is that some chemicals in the DNA did not line up as they were supposed to and mutations, especially in the case of Muggle-Borns, are not always a bad thing. If two Muggles are reproducing and one of their sex cells is mutated so that its chromosomes have the extra wizarding addition then it will do the same thing a wizarding cell would do and send additional wizarding parts over to the other Muggles chromosomes and their child will be a witch or wizard. If a witch and wizard are reproducing and there is mutation with both of the sex cells so that they do not have the extra part, the child will be a Squib. This explains why Muggle-Borns are much more common than Squibs as it takes two separate mutations to make a Squib and one to make a Muggle-born.

This is the proven theory for why there are Muggle-Borns and Squibs and it has inspired another, controversial theory that many find rather interesting. It suggest that since it is very easy for Muggles to produce witches and wizards, all witches and wizards may be descended from Muggles and that we may all be technically Muggle-Borns. This is very possible and it is more proof of a valid point. Today, many witches and wizards boast that they are "pure-blood" and they go around calling Muggle-borns derogatory terms such as "mudblood" when it is highly possible that they too may be "mudbloods." In any case, it is almost certain that there aren't any "pure-bloods" anymore. The wizarding numbers simply aren't large enough and if they are truly pure-blooded they are probably inbred which, in my opinion, isn't much to boast about. I implore those in the Wizarding world who treat Muggle-Borns rudely and unfairly to consider this article and to stop with your prejudice tirade against them.

*A device muggles use to magnify very small things.


	2. Wizarding Biology Part 2

_Daily Prophet May 5__th__, 1996_

_Science Section_

Why Wizarding Diseases Differ From Muggle Diseases

By: Athalia Thumberdean

There are many serious and occasionally fatal diseases in the Wizarding world such as spattergroit, dragon pox, vanishing sickness, and scrofungulus. There are also many serious and, more often than in the Wizarding World, fatal diseases in the Muggle world such as Diabetes, Cancer, Malaria and HIV AIDS. Why, as both Wizards and Muggles are human, do they have different diseases? Why do Muggles never get Wizarding diseases (as many are contagious) and vice-versa? Well, as we discussed in the April 27th article, witches and wizards have an extra installment of sorts in there chromosomes that gives them the ability to perform magic. But it does more than just that; it also gives them immunity and susceptibility to certain diseases.

Essentially, the extra installment of their DNA also gives them immunity to Muggle diseases by constructing their immune system in a certain way. However, as the magical diseases also have extra installments in their DNA they are sometimes able to get around the witch or wizard's special immune system and infect them. The same process in reverse is almost exactly what happens with muggles. They do not have the addition in their genes that makes them immune to non-magical diseases so they are vulnerable to them, but the magical diseases are built to penetrate the witch or wizard's immune system and not the Muggle's, so they are immune to the magical diseases.

Why then do wizards and Muggles get the same mild sicknesses? With minor illness like the common cold and the flu, both immune systems do the same thing. Colds and influenzas are not magical so Muggles immune systems can sometimes not stop them. And as wizards are human and, despite what many believe, extremely similar to Muggles, the common and minor illness can potentially get through their immune systems as well.

The process is the same for Muggle-borns as any other witch or wizard, but the Squib process is quite different from the muggle's. As we discussed last time, wizarding parent's sex cells both have to be mutated to Muggle cells to create a Squib. So then one would expect Squibs to have the same immune systems as Muggles, but actually, they have something of a cross between a Muggle immune system and a wizarding one. Although they are, for the most, part biologically equivalent to Muggles, they are believed to have a small fraction of the Wizarding addition in there DNA. This partial addition is what gives them the ability to see Dementors and what makes them have a partially magical immune system. This hybrid immune system is created in such a way that it is not able to fight off either type of disease entirely. Unfortunately, this means that Squibs are susceptible to both magical and non-magical diseases.

Today, as more and more wizards are learning about the immunity that Muggles have to the terrible disease that plague them, they wonder if Muggles may hold the solution for curing them. And although most Muggles do not know wizards exist, some Muggles and pro-Muggle witches and wizards are attempting to use their immunity to Muggle diseases to help Muggles and vise-versa. To cure both sorts of diseases wizards are working with muggles who are the parents or guardians of Muggles-borns (as to not break the Statute of Secrecy) and have been working to develop more effective magical and non-magical remedies.

If the Wizarding World wishes to cure their illnesses and maladies, collaboration between wizards and Muggles is necessary. Many witches and wizards may feel that to seek help from members of the Muggle community is treacherous and a disgrace to wizard kind. These prejudice witches and wizards with fatal diseases that muggles are immune to have a choice. They can work with muggles to cure their illness or they can die.


End file.
